Roof anchor

ABSTRACT

A roof anchor easily carried to be positioned and re-positioned by persons climbing on pitched roofs and comprising a flat steel bar having a rectangular cross-section, a top surface, a bottom surface, a front end and a rear end with the front end bent to form a nose having a front bottom edge protruding below the bottom surface of the flat plate, a connector member projecting upwardly from the upper surface of the flat bar and forming a hole for attachment of a carabiner and tether line.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable.

REFERENCE TO MICROFICHE APPENDIX

Not Applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to roof anchors to be used to hold persons climbing on pitched building roofs from falling off the roofs.

2. Description of the Related Art

The need for safety devices for people climbing on pitched roofs of buildings has long been recognized. The safety of roofers, building inspectors, homeowners and others that necessarily must climb on pitched roofs is paramount. Consequently, there have been anchor devices developed in the past that can be secured to the roof and that will support persons climbing on the roof and attached to the anchor devices by straps, ropes, or the like. Generally, the known roof anchors have been heavy, bulky, and difficult to put into place on a pitched roof. These known roof anchors have generally involved legs that will fit over a ridge line of a roof and that are then secured in place with suitable nails. Such roof anchors have included means for attaching straps or ropes as tether lines that are then secured to belts or harnesses worn by persons climbing on the pitched roof. Because of the size, weight, and bulkiness of these known roof anchors it is difficult for users to carry them up ladders and pitched roofs or to move them from location to location and to position and re-position them on the roof. Also, the known anchors do not always properly fit over different types of ridge lines on roofs having a variety of ridge pitches. As a result, roofers and others climbing on pitched roofs frequently do not use roof anchors and it is not uncommon that such persons will fall from a roof.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

Principal objects of the present invention are to provide a roof anchor that can be secured to a pitched roof as a means for attaching a strap, rope or other line as a tether between the roof anchor and a person climbing on a pitched roof. Further objects are to provide a roof anchor that is easily fixed in position on a pitched roof and that can be easily moved from location to location on the pitched roof and that can be re-anchored, as necessary.

Another object is to provide a roof anchor that is sufficiently lightweight and small enough that a user can carry several of the roof anchors to be positioned on a roof.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a roof anchor that can be easily carried up ladders and onto any pitched roof and that can be secured in place and left on the pitched roof as a substantially permanent installation, should that be desired.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a roof anchor that is sufficiently low in cost that it can be readily purchased for use by roofers and others climbing on pitched roofs and that can be left on the roof as additional similar roof anchors are used and then, if desired, left in place on the roof, without significantly adversely affecting the appearance of the roof.

FEATURES OF THE INVENTION

Principal features of the invention include a flat bar having a rectangular cross-section and a down turned nose with a sharp bottom edge at one end thereof. A pattern of nail holes are provided through the bar to allow the bar to be nailed in place on a pitched roof.

An upwardly extending connector member provides a hole for the attachment of a carabiner, to which one end of a tether line is connected. The other end of the tether line is then attached to a belt or harness worn by the person climbing on a roof. The upwardly extending connector member is positioned adjacent to the end of the flat bar having the down turned nose and a hole through the upwardly extending connector member is located closely above the upper surface of the flat bar.

The upwardly extending steel connector member may comprise a plate welded to the forward end of the flat bar and having a hole therethrough to receive a carabiner at a location just above an upper surface of the flat bar.

Alternatively, the connector member may take the form of a steel arch having its ends welded to the upper surface of the flat plate. The space beneath the arch then serves as a hole to receive a carabiner to which a tether line is attached.

Additional objects and features of the invention will become apparent to a person skilled in the art to the which the invention pertains from the following detailed description, drawings and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES OF THE DRAWINGS

In the Drawings

FIG. 1, is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the roof anchor of the invention;

FIG. 2, a slightly enlarged perspective view of the roof anchor shown secured to a pitched roof and having a carabiner and tether line attached thereto;

FIG. 3, a vertical section taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2 and showing a pitched roof sheeting, to which the roof anchor of the invention has been attached;

FIG. 4, a view like that of FIG. 3 showing the roof anchor of the invention, with the carabiner and tether line removed and the leading edge of the down turned nose forced into the roof sheeting so that the roof anchor can be left in place on a roof;

FIG. 5, a pitched roof, with the roof anchor of the invention left in place and shingles applied over the roof sheeting and the flat bar of the roof anchor;

FIG. 6, a fragmentary vertical section, taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7, a perspective view of another embodiment of the roof anchor of the invention;

FIG. 8, a vertical section taken on the line 8-8 of FIG. 7; and

FIG. 9, an enlarged top plan view of the roof anchor shown in FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now the Drawings

In the illustrated preferred embodiment of FIGS. 1-6, the roof anchor of the invention is shown generally at 10.

Roof anchor 10 is made of steel, or the like, and includes an elongate flat bar 14 having a rectangular cross-section and down turned nose end 16. A bottom edge 18 of the down turned nose end 16 provides a sharp edge that will be forced into a roof sheeting, as will be further explained. The remaining portion of the down turned nose end 16 provides an abutment surface, and as will be further explained, prevents downward travel of the roof anchor on a sloped roof, once it has been properly positioned on a roof.

A connector member 22 is welded or otherwise affixed at 24 to one side of the nose end of the roof anchor 10. A hole 26 through the connector member is spaced slightly above the upper face of the roof anchor and receives a carabiner 28, or other attachment means, for securing a tether line 30.

A series of spaced apart holes 32 are provided through the flat bar 14 such that nails 34 can be driven through the holes and into the sheeting 36 of a pitched roof, shown fragmentarily at 38.

As shown best in FIGS. 5 and 6, shingles 40 may be placed on the pitched roof 38 and may be positioned to cover all of the roof anchor 10, except for the connector member 22 which will project upwardly beyond the top surface of the shingles 40. Roof anchor 10 can be left in position on the roof so that a person climbing on the roof after the shingles 40 have been applied can attach a carabiner and a tether line to prevent falling each time such person climbs on the pitched roof.

The roof anchor is affixed to roof sheeting with nails 34 and with the front end down on the roof. The front leading edge 18 is forced into the sheeting by hitting the nose 16 from above with a hammer or the like, or by merely pulling on the tether line 30. While shown fastened to the sheeting, it will be apparent that, if desired, the roof anchor 10 can be secured directly to the upper surface of shingles on a roof.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 7-9, the roof anchor is shown generally at 50 and includes an elongate flat plate 52 having a rectangular cross-section and a leading or forward edge 54. The forward edge is bent downwardly to form a nose 56 such that the bottom leading edge 58 of the roof anchor will dig into the sheeting of a roof on which the roof anchor is positioned. The flat plate 52 has a pattern of holes 60 therethrough, extending adjacent to a rear edge 62 of the flat plate. The pattern of holes 60 is designed to receive nails inserted therethrough and driven into the roof sheeting to securely hold the roof anchor in place. Preferably, the bottom leading edge 54 is driven into the roof sheeting by pounding on the top of nose 56 with a hammer, or the like. However, mere pulling on a tether attached to the positioned roof anchor 50 (10??) will force the forward leading edge 58 into the sheeting.

A steel arch 64 has its ends welded to the top surface of flat plate 52, with the ends of the arch aligned along an elongate axis of the flat plate. The space beneath arch 64 forms a hole through the arch to which a carabiner is attached for securement of a tether line.

Although preferred forms of my invention have been shown and described, it is to be understood that the present disclosure is by way of example and that variations are possible without departing from the subject matter coming within the scope of the following claims, which subject matter I regard as my invention. 

1. A roof anchor comprising a flat elongate metal plate having a rectangular cross-section and a top surface, a bottom surface, a front end and a rear end; a plurality of spaced apart holes through the flat plate, said holes forming a pattern extending from the rear end to adjacent the front end; a bent nose at the front end of the flat plate and with a bottom front edge of the flat plate extending beneath the bottom surface of the flat plate; and a connector member fixed to the flat plate at the front end adjacent to the bent nose and extending upwardly from the top surface and including hole means through the said connector member closely adjacent to the upper surface of the flat plate and the nose piece.
 2. A roof anchor as in claim 1, wherein the connector member is an upstanding meta plate having a hole therethrough and affixed to a side of the flat plate at the front end thereof.
 3. A roof anchor as in claim 1, wherein the connector member forms a metal arch with a hole between legs of the arch and with the legs fixed to the top surface of the flat plate in alignment with an elongate axis through said flat plate.
 4. A roof anchor as in claim 1, further including a carabiner attached to the connector member and extending through the hole formed by said connector member. 